Recovering from Rape | Linda E. Ledray

Practical Advice on Overcoming the Trauma and Coping with Police, Hospitals, and the Courts - For the Survivors of Sexual Assault and Their Families, Lovers, and Friends

304 pages | Holt McDougal

If you have been sexually assaulted, you are probably experiencing a mix of fear, anger, and depression. If you are a relative, friend, or lover of someone who has been assaulted, you too may be deeply affected by the incident and by the survivor's reaction to it. However, working together, survivors and their loved ones can recover and may even be able to turn the recovery into an opportunity for positive change and growth. This comprehensive handbook offers emotional support and practical guidance in overcoming the trauma of rape. It explains what to expect at the police station, at the hospital, and, if necessary, in court, and it helps readers learn the most effective ways of dealing with their feelings immediately following an assault, during the subsequent few months, and beyond. The experiences of survivors recounted throughout the book reassure readers that others have pulled through. Dr. Ledray helps survivors realize that no matter what they did - wore a low-cut blouse, accepted a ride from a stranger, invited an acquaintance home - they did not deserve to be raped. She guides them from guilt or disbelief through bitterness and despair to the decision to take back control of their lives.